• Multi-family dwellings (h4)
• Multi-family service dwellings (h5)
• Multi-bedroom dwellings (h6)
• Industrial (I), retail (C) or service (S) buildings
• Building in a park or green space

Of these buildings, only those with more than 50% of their outside walls made up of windows or glass panes will be required to have these specially treated.

Renovation of existing buildings

The bylaw applies mainly to new buildings, but also to extensions to existing structures, replacement of curtain walls and exterior modifications.

Clear glass prohibited for exterior railings

Buildings near green spaces: additional measures

Properties that include or are adjacent to a natural environment, since they are likely to be home to more birds, are subject to additional requirements, such as: 

• modified site planning and architectural integration programs (PIIA);
• a new site planning and architectural integration program (PIIA) for properties adjacent to natural environments, to design buildings and landscaping that reduce the risk of bird collisions to a minimum.

In particular, these requirements aim to prevent or reduce the reflection of woodlands and ponds in building windows or other glass surfaces.

Practical solutions

Various glass treatments are available to reduce the reflectiveness of glass and, consequently, the risk of bird collisions, as well as making transparent glass more visible. 

For the exterior walls concerned, 90% of glass panes must undergo a special, detailed treatment. This includes greenhouses and railings located less than 16 metres from the ground, or less than 4 metres from the green roof. 

Some possible treatments to ensure compliance with the bylaw provisions on birds:

This list is not exhaustive, and only the current bylaw applies.

Taking action against bird collisions with glass surfaces

Collisions with glass surfaces are one of the main causes of human-caused mortality in birds, due to the transparency or reflectiveness of the glass. 

According to a federal government estimate, up to 42 million birds die in Canada every year as a result of collisions with buildings, and as many as 70,000 birds a day during seasonal migration. 

70% of Saint-Laurent’s territory is devoted to industrial and commercial activities, notably due to the Technoparc, Québec’s second largest industrial park. It features numerous large, windowed buildings, all of which pose challenges for birds. 

Once the five REM stations soon to be opened in Saint-Laurent are in operation, the urban landscape will be transformed by major real estate developments. These developments will create new challenges and hazards for birds, which are abundant in the borough due to its many green spaces. 

With the natural environments frequented by birds so close to new buildings often featuring many large windows, this situation therefore poses a real risk, as confirmed by the research.